Pencil



W. H. FITCH PENCIL Filed August 14, 1922 May 25 1926.-

Patented May T, 1926.-

PATENT oFFflcE.

'WILLIAM HUBERT FITCH, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

PENCIL.

Application filed August 14, 1922. Serial No. 581,784.

This invention relates to pencils and has v for an object to provide apencil of the type wherein a lead is maintained in position forl writingpurposes during such writing operi ation and withdrawn when the writinghas been completed lfor protection.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pencil of improvedtype having4 a lead and convenient means for extending l the lead forwriting purposes and withdrawing'it for protection, and independentlrelease such lead to be automatically withdrawn for protection when theclip is manually operated for attaching to the parts of the pocket.

5 A further object of the invention is to provide a pencil having arigid barrel within which slides a member controlled by a spring tendingto hold the sliding part at one extreme of its movement, with manual lmeans for moving the moving part in the opposite direction against thetension of the spring, in which latter position a lead is projectedbeyond the end of the pencil into Writing position, and to provide alatch i' for holding the moving-part with the lead so extended, whichsaid latch serves also as a clip to maintain the pencil securelyin thepocket of the user, the operation of which, on being inserted in thepocket automaticallyA releases the moving part to permit .the spring towithdraw the lead for protection.

WVith these and other objects in view the invention comprises certainnovel parts, units, elements, combinationsand functions,

i as disclosed in the drawings, together with mechanical equivalentsthereof, as will be hereinafter more fully described' and claimed.

In the drawings z,

Figure 1 isa view of the pencil princi pally taken in longitudinaldiametrical section, with the parts associated to extend the lead beyondthe point to writing position and lield in such position by the clip;

F1 ure 2 is a viewlargely in .longitudinal iametrical section with theparts reracted, holding the lead in protective p Osi- -ion; y Figure 3is a tranverse sectional view taken on-line 3 3 of Figure 1';

Figure t is a transverse sectional view taken on line Ll--t of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a detail 'View -in side elevation of the guide cylinder;

Figure 6 is a view lead guide.

Like characters of reference indicate cor-` responding parts throughoutthe several views. The improved pencil which forms the sub- ]ect matterof the presentappli'cation comprises a barrel 10, which preferably,though not necessarily, is constructed of metal, any rigid material,however, being lfully within its scope, At one end the barrel istapered` as indicated at 11, forming at its extreme 'a' in sideelevation of the lead orifice 12, as shown at Figure 2 and within whichpreferably is constructed a shoulder 13.

Within the barrel a tube 14 is positioned, such tube having an indentedspiral screwor worm 15, as shown in elevation at Figure 2 and in sectionat Figure 1. At its lower end the tube 14 rests upon a spring 16 whichat its opposite end rests upon the shoulder 13, the tendency of thespring being to hold the tube 14 away from the lead ori-tice 12.Preferably the lower end sol of the tube 14 will be provided with acollar 17 to receive the thrust of the spring, although suclicollar is amere mechanical expedient and'niay be eliminated if the formation of thetube is such that the spring will rest directly against the tube.Intermediate its len h a sleeve 18 is rigidly secured tothe tu e 14serving asa guide for the tube in its reciprocation within the barrel 10and for the 'further purpose which will be hereinafter more fullydescribed.

-At its up er end the tube lttalso has rigidly secured t ereto a guidesleeve 19, shown in elevation at Figure 5, such connection being by anyapproved means, but `preferably by forming the tube structure thlckened,as at 20 with an under-cut at 21 so that there is a space interveningbetween the tube 14 and the sleeve 19 throughout a portion of itslength. This space is, utilized for aecommodating a lug` 22 carried bythe barrel 10, preferably, though not necessarily, formed by striking orpressing in av part of the material of the barrel. This lug 22 enters laslot in the sleeve 19, such slot'eomprising a section 23 (see Fig. 5)whichopens through the lower margin of said sleeve and extends upwardlyin parallelism with the axis to a transverse or lateral section 24. Thelateral section 24 extends cireumferentially about a portion of thesleeve 19 which may be a quarter or a third of the entire circumference,such distance being non-essential to the present invention andterminates in a second parallel slot 25 forming with the lateral slot 24a T.

This engagement of the lug 22 in the slot is brought about by insertingthe tube 14 into the open end of the barrel, which as shown in thedrawing is the upper end, until the lug engages and passes into the.slot- 23 and is further moved to the limit of such slot. The sleeve isnow turned manually so that the lug follows theV lateral slot 24 to itslimit when it is now positioned in the vertical slot- 25, In thisposition the tube 14 and its associated parts is held against rotationby the lug 22 in the slot 25 except at the middle of Isaid slot 25. Thetendency of the spring 16, however, is to move the sleeve 19 the entiredistance permitted by the sliding of the lug 22 in the slot 25 and toslide past the lateral slot, there being no tendency to enter this slot.lileans to move the structure manually consists of a head 26 carrying atubular member 27 which also serves as a lead guide and as will behereinafter more fully described. This head 26, with the tube 27 actingas a spindle and provided with a collar 28, 1s held in relation to thesleeve 19 in any ap# proved manner, as by inserting a collar 29 into theend of the sleeve 19, which, by reason of its being split, as indicatedat 30 (see Fig. 6) makes rictional engagement -with the interior bore ofthe sleeve 19. In-

cidentally this head 26 serves to accommodate an eraser 31 and the wholeis covered by a cap 32 which has sufficient frictional engagement withthe head 26 so that the stresses manually applied thereto will slide thedevice longitudinally or will turn it for the purposes hereinafter morefully described. The interior of this cap 26 substantially lits thebarrel and the space indicated between the cap and the barrel at Figures1 and 2 is only for clearness of illustration qand does not indicate theactual clearance found in the article.

The lead guide or tube 27 is preferably rolled of sheet metal, atthe'top the edges meeting, as indicated at 33 in Figure 6, but providinga slot 34 with lips 35 forming a constriction intermediate its lengthfor the purpose hereinafter mentioned. This lead guide or tube 27, ashas been noted, is rigidly secured to the head 26 and rotates therewithand is inserted within the worm 14, as indicated more particularly atFigure 1.

Within the lead' guide 27 a lead carrier1 isintroduced comprising anintermediate section 36 having its edge proportioned to extend throughthe slot 34 and to conform to the interior of the worm 14, as indicatedmore particularly at Figure 1. This central portion 36' is extended uponopposite sides y springs 37 and 37', the latter carrying at its end,which 'in the drawings is the lower end, a sleeve 38 'properlyproportioned to receive and grasp a lead 39 of theusual and ordinaryproportions. The position and formation ofthe springs 37 and 37', asclearly shown at Figure 1, bear upon the side ol the lead guide 27opposite the slot 34 and tend to hold the central or engaging portion 36extended outwardly through said slot and into position for engagementwith the threads of the tube 14, as noted, but providing for yielding ofsaid members to prevent breakage. The lips 35 serve as a stop for thiscentral portion 36, so that when the tube has been rotated to move thelead carrier downwardly to its limit, the part 36 engages against thelips 35 and prevents further movement. Owing to the resiliency of theparts 37 and 37', however, the lead carrier when extended so that thesleeve 38 protrudes from the lead guide 27, may, by grasping the endwith 'the hand, be drawn out either by sliding under the lips 35 or byreasonl of the resiliency between such lips, so that the lead carrier asan entirety may be drawn outl and returned manually when foundnecessary. This is accomplished, ot' course, when the device, comprisingthe tube 14 and contained lead guide 27 are withdrawn from the barrel.

As has been noted, the structure just mentioned slides vertically withinthe barrel guided by the sleeve 18 rigidly secured upon the tube-14.This sleeve 18 serves a further purpose in that the barrel 10 isprovided with a slot or opening 40 through which a. point 41 of the clip42 extends. A spring 43 tends to hold the pointl 4l inserted through theopening 40 except when released by pressure upon the end 44, asindicated by the arrow at Figure 1. With the sleeve in the positionshown at Figure 2; that is to say, with the lead retracted, the point 4Lengages against the surface of such sleeve, butwhen manual pressure isapplied to the cap 32 to move the internal structure downwardly so thatthe lead 39 projects through the opening 12, as shown at Figure 1, thepoint 41 engages in the rear of the sleeve 18 and retains it in suchposition, which is the writing position.

1t will be obvious that when writinghas been completed and it is theintent of the user to insert the pencil in'the pocket, pressure will beapplied-to the part 441to open the clip so that it may be inserted insuch a position that the clip will engage the clothing. This pressureupon the clip will release the point 41 from engagement with the sleeve18 and t-he spring 16 `will force the internal construction upwardly tothe position shown at Figure 2, withdrawing the lead into protectedposition.

So long as the length of lead extended beyond the lead guide 27 issufficient so that the end extends when moved to writing position, asshown at Figure 1, no further action is necessary than merely moving theinternal construction within the barrel to project the lead manually orto permit its retraction by action of the spring.

When, however, the lead has worn to such an extent as to make itdesirable to advance the lead further, the head 26 is rotated,preferably by rotating the -cap 32 so that the lead carrier is moveddownwardly a distance within the lead guide. This moving is broughtabout by the rotation of the lead guide carrying therewith the leadcarrier and by reason of the engagement of the part 36 with the worm 14,the advancing is accomplished.

Whenthe lead has been consumed to such an extent that it can be nofurther projected in this manner, the internal construction is removedfrom the barrel by moving the sleeve 19 one-half the amplitude of normalmovement, so that it may be rotated with the lug 22 following the slot24 and then withdrawn by moving the sleeve in such manner that the lug22 follows the slot 23. Vwholly releases the internal construction. Thelead having been consumed, the sleeve 38 of the lead carrier now extendsbeyond the lead guide 27 and the old lead may be manually removed fromthis sleeve 38 and n new lead inserted. By holding the sleeve 18 in thelingers of one hand and rotating the head 16 with the other` hand thelead carrier and the new lead may be withdrawn into the lead guide 27and the parts replaced in the barrel in the manner the reverse of thesteps employed in removing.

What I claim is:

1. A pencil comprising a cylindrical barrel, al lug inset within thebarrel, a sleeve proportioned to be inserted into and slide within thebarrel, said sleeve having a longitudi'nal slot proportioned andpositioned `t0 interengage with the lug, said slot having a right anglecircumferential turn terminating in a longitudinal T-section adapted tori`his limit the sliding movement of the sleeve, and a lead carrying andadvancing organization carried by the sleeve.

2. A pencil comprising a cylindrical barrel, a lug inset within thebarrel, a sleeve proportioned to be inserted into and slide within thebarrel, said sleeve having a longitudinal slot proportioned andpositioned to interengage with the lug to limit the sliding movement ofthe sleeve, a lead carrying and advancing organization carried by thesleeve tending to move the'organization, including the sleeve, to onelimit, and manually controlled means for maintaining the organization atthe opposite limit.

3. A pencil comprising a cylindrical barrel, a lug inset within thebarrel, a sleeve proportioned to be inserted into and slide within thebarrel, said sleeve having a longitudinal slot proportioned andpositioned to interengage with the lug, said slot having a right anglecircumferential turn terminating in a longitudinal Tsection to limit thesliding movement of the sleeve, a lead carrying and advancingorganization carried bythe sleeve, ,and manually controlled means tomaintain vthe organization at one limit of its movement.

V 4. A pencil comprising a cylindrical barrel, a lug inset within thebarrel, a sleeve proportioned to be inserted into and slide within thebarrel, said sleeve having a longitudinal slot proportioned andpositioned to interengage with the lug, said slot having a right anglecircumferential turn terminating in a longitudinal T-section to limitthe sliding movement of the sleeve, a lead carrying and advancingorganization carried by the sleeve, a,Ak spring tending to move theorganization, including the sleeve, to one limit, and manually operablemeans to maintain the organization at the opposite limit. v

5. A pencil comprising a cylindrical bar- .rel, a lug inset within thebarrel, a sleeve proportioned to be inserted into and slide within thebarrel, said sleeve having a longitudinal slot proportioned andpositioned to interengage with the lug to limit thev sliding movement ofthe sleeve, a lead 'carrying and advancing organization carried by thesleeve, a second sleeve carried by the organ ization, a detent rinsertedfrom without through the barrel and riding freely on the second sleeveand tending to engage the end of said sleeve to hold said organizationat one limit of its movement.

6. A pencil comprising ay cylindrical barrel, a lug insert within thebarrel, a sleeve proportioned to be inserted into and slide within thebarrel, said sleeve having a longitudinal slot proportioned andpositioned to interengage with the lug, said slot having a right anglecircumferential turn terminating in a'longitudinal T-section to limitthe second sleeve and tending to 'engage the sliding movement of thesleeve, a lead carryend of said second sleeve to hold the organi- 10 ingand advancing organization carried by zation at one limit of itsmovement against the sleeve,. a sprin tending to move the the tension ofthe spring.

organization, inclu ing the sleeve, to one In' testimony whereof Ihereunto afx my limit, a second sleeve carried by the organisignature.

zation, a detent inserted from without through the barrel and ridingfreely on the WILLIAM HUBERT FITCH.

